Tradition
by actingwithportals
Summary: Day seven of my thirty-one day writing challenge. Jack joins the Jacobs family for a night of holiday tradition


It was a cold night, yet Jack still found himself out on the fire escape, Davey standing next to him as the two of them watched the sky. It was cloudless, and faint stars could be seen if you squinted hard enough amidst the light of the city around them. Jack hugged his arms closer around himself, bracing against the cold wind. He could hear Davey shivering next to him; his teeth chattering quietly as he tried to hide it.

"Why don't you go inside, Davey?" Jack suggested. "You'se shivering."

"I'll go inside when you do," Davey said, straightening up a little.

Jack huffed. "I need a minute of fresh air," he explained. "Your family's real nice, but, it was getting a little cramped in there."

"Says the guy who lives with near twenty some other people?" Davey joked.

"Yeah, but it's a big house," Jack stated. "Ain't that hard to get space."

"No, I get it," Davey said. "It gets a little crowded sometimes for me, too."

"Does you guys always make so much food?" Jack asked, looking over his shoulder back into the small home behind him.

Davey shrugged. "It's Hanukkah, that's kind of what we do," he explained. "Don't tell me you're complaining about eating too much?"

Jack laughed. "Course not," he said. "I'se just never been in the presence of so much food at one time before," he admitted.

"Well, it's a holiday," Davey said. "It isn't like this every day."

"Do you guys eat like this for all eight days?" Jack asked.

"Nah, it's mainly just the first day that's so big," Davey said. "We still cook, just not to this extent."

"Must be nice," Jack mused.

"You're welcome to come the other nights too, if you want," Davey offered. "My parents wouldn't mind at all."

"That's okay, I wouldn't want to intrude," Jack said. "Besides, I can't be gone every night for so long, the other guys would start to think something's up. I got a reputation to uphold, you know?"

Davey chuckled. "Yeah, you and your reputation," he muttered.

"Hey, if you got extra, mind if I bring home a couple of those, uh, what is they called?" Jack asked.

"Latkes?" Davey offered.

"Yeah, for the boys to try?" Jack requested, hoping he wasn't asking for too much.

"No, I'm sure mom would be more than okay with that," Davey said. "We should have plenty left over."

"Cool, I know the boys would love them. Your mom's a great cook," Jack said.

"Yeah, she is," Davey agreed.

They stood in silence, both returning to watching the night sky. It was beautiful, in its own way, Jack had to admit. The street lamps were warm hazes in the otherwise cold dark, and the occasional passerby hummed a happy tune that seemed to add cheer to a cheerless night. It was the holidays, after all. It would be a crime to not find someone humming a holiday tune as they strolled home.

"So," Davey asked, breaking the silence. "How do you normally celebrate the holidays?"

Jack shrugged. "Get a day off, so usually sleeping," he admitted. "And the older boys usually get together to scrape up gifts for the younger kids, so we watch them open their presents, but it ain't much other than that. Mr. Kloppman tries to make us all a nice dinner, but it ain't nothing fancy, you know? I don't know, it's good to get day off and relax for a change."

Davey nodded in understanding. "I getcha," he said.

Jack shivered. "We should probably head back inside," he said, looking around. "They'se gonna wonder what we'se been doing out here so long."

Davey nodded in agreement. "No doubt Les is dying to play dreidel, anyways," Davey commented.

They walked back inside and joined the rest of Davey's family, who were all sitting around the table enjoying some dessert. Once Davey and Jack rejoined them, Les cried that it was time to play a game, and they all prepared the table to play, passing out little candies as the game pieces for everyone. Jack found that he liked the game dreidel a lot, though Davey had to read to him what the dreidel said each time. In the end Sarah ended up winning the game, getting all the candy pieces. They played a few more rounds, Davey's father winning the second time, and Jack actually managing to win the third time.

The home was filled with laughter and the smell of delicious food. So, this is what holidays were like for families, Jack thought to himself. It was nice, though it made him envious. He didn't want to admit it, but he wished he could have grown up with something like this to look forward to every year. But he had to remind himself that he did have a family, and they were waiting for him at home, only a few days away from sharing in their own holiday traditions. Davey's family was nice, but it wasn't his family, and it could never replace the one he had with the other newsies. Jack had to remember that.

After the game was done, Jack got up and decided it was time he headed home, it having already gotten quite late. Davey's mom sent him off with a few wrapped up latkes, Jack thanking her graciously. Davey offered to walk Jack home, at least part of the way, and Jack, not feeling up to arguing, nodded in agreement.

They walked in silence for most of the trip, the quiet between them being anything but uncomfortable. Jack normally hated silence, preferring to fill it with mindless chatter or unreasonable jokes, but not around Davey. He felt at peace with the quiet, as if it were a comforting blanket. Just Davey's presence alone was enough to warm him, even on the dark cold December night.

"I can make it home from here," Jack said, stopping at a street corner only a few blocks away from the Lodging House.

"Alright, if you're sure," Davey said. "I'll see you tomorrow, Jack."

"Hey Davey," Jack said, reaching out a hand and grabbing him by the shoulder.

"Yeah?" Davey asked, stopping and looking back at him.

"Thanks for the, uh, invite tonight," Jack said. "It was real nice."

"I'm glad you could come," Davey responded sincerely.

"Maybe we could do this again next year?" Jack suggested. "Make it like a tradition or something."

Davey smiled "You just want an excuse to eat more of my mom's food."

"Not gonna lie, that's a pretty good reason," Jack said, laughing.

Davey laughed. "Yeah, I'd like that," he agreed.

Jack looked around, making sure that there was no one in sight. He quickly gave Davey a peck on the cheek, causing the other boy's cheeks to turn red.

"See you tomorrow?" he asked. "Bright and early?"

Davey grinned. "See you tomorrow," he agreed.

They parted ways, Jack feeling warm the whole rest of the walk home, filled with the hope of a new tradition having begun.


End file.
